Who has the BEST DIY TELE KIT? GFS/TOMTOP/FRETWIRE review (part 1-unboxing and building)

[@joebodynobody764]

Turn them into a 3 neck tele.

[@surrexerunt9525]

this is the kind of insanity i would like to see

[@wolfsilver6304]

Yes!

[@BeauregardHall]

That's the ultimate GUNS n Guitars guitar right there.

[@Joe-mz6dc]

Oh man. Yeah. Haha

[@paulhqf4569]

ABSOLUTELY!

[@mikekrause8263]

I bought that same tele kit from Fretwire 3 days ago and they just started a free tuner promo with kit purchase. I asked if i could get the tuner even though i purchased my kit before the promo began. They sent it out UPS today. Enough said.

[@tamsinmccormick]

No one says Enough said anymore that is so last century !! We now say Buff said coz he did !!

[@harrys.3165]

@@tamsinmccormick last century was pretty much the last of the cool old dudes with strength and real gutsy character. Now we have you tube nerds who can't change a flat tyre or check THIER oil, thinking they are cool. Enough said.

[@monkeyballs188]

@@harrys.3165 ok boomer

[@monkeyballs188]

@@harrys.3165 ok doomer

[@monkeyballs188]

@@harrys.3165 remoob ko

[@shamwam06]

Hey Dan, could you do a telecaster kit? Thanks!

[@pynthymmepale]

U pok ker

[@jacobpayne2680]

Hey dan, could you do a telecaster build? Thanks!

[@robphillips8351]

LoL

[@coldsharkride]

After sitting on the fence for months, and then watching this presentation a second time, I pulled the trigger and went with Fretwire. I'm excited! Can't wait to get started!

[@ophesophes1916]

Broooo, I remembered how you started out but dude you seriously improved 10 folds!!! It makes me almost cry how well improved. So far you’re one of my favorite DIY KZbinrs so far. Keep doing you my dude!

[@LucasFowler]

Who uses red for ground? Psychopaths, that's who.

[@troythompson1621]

Bombmakers

[@gp85hkg]

@@troythompson1621 naaah...it's always the blue one (".)

[@seandevine3695]

About half the touring houses that I have been to as a tour electrician have mis-wired cables or pigtails. It's a lot of fun accidentally finding a hot green mains wire.

[@greaser5691]

The same sort of people who use black for hot and white for neutral, maybe? :)

[@workinman3878]

deepstate actors

[@k1sfd1974]

While the kit from "The Fretwire" was the most expensive (by a whopping $13usd our cost - gunsngtrs cupon code), it was also the best for final fit and finish. The GFS kit was nice and cheap, but by the time you take into account the labor and hassle of fixing someone else's mistakes, it just adds up to be more expensive in the long run. The same could be said for the TomTop kit. At $13usd difference, is it really worth it to have to fix someone else's "my bad" moments? (The top missing a chunk of wood, the neck pocket being over routed, the messed up wiring, etc). I'm not saying the others aren't great learning tools, figuring out how to fix mistakes as you build a guitar is a LARGE part of the deal if you are leaning to be a luthier, but if your looking for a "one and done" kit... The Fretwire gets my vote!

[@carpepesci]

It's Paulownia, literally "Paw-loan-ya." Extremely common in Japan, it is the go-to wood for traditional Japanese woodworking, specifically Sashimono.

[@chambredegoupil6332]

vintage tele has the flat cut were the jack socket is ;)

[@countvond233]

Yyyyup.

[@huuuuuuuu175]

no...

[@chambredegoupil6332]

@@huuuuuuuu175 Level very but it is flat , and the reason is that jack socket with screw (not the lp style) is flat so it is easier to insert on a flat surface, it's not because not the 67 years of telecasters are not all with the flat cut that it doesn't exist! Copy kit manufacturers have not mindblowing imagination, and they do to make their guitars look like the shit! www.google.fr/search?rlz=1C1ASUT_frFR718FR718&biw=1366&bih=657&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=H2b0W9fXJo-qa6K3huAD&q=telecaster+54+jack+socket&oq=telecaster+54+jack+socket&gs_l=img.3..35i39.56735.61195..61472...0.0..0.1566.4500.3-1j7-2j1......1....1..gws-wiz-img.cdS0WRUIsDo#imgrc=XpVzWd7Sh651sM: www.google.fr/search?rlz=1C1ASUT_frFR718FR718&biw=1366&bih=657&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=u2b0W7XVN4HyarzYtrgN&q=telecaster+jack+socket&oq=telecaster+jack+socket&gs_l=img.3..0i19.52577.53976..54621...0.0..0.486.1690.0j3j3j0j1......1....1..gws-wiz-img.-iI1FLo9JS8#imgrc=F2H01UxivEcSkM:

[@clintmiller2408]

Yep your absolutely right!!!

[@bradleybrown8399]

Chambre de Goupil they did that after switching from the recessed input cup

[@christopherlafreniere7141]

Proper aligned holes, proper fit neck, proper finished frets is value to me.

[@StevenAlwine]

That semi-hollow Tele was my first guitar build. Fretwire does a great job with customer service, and their kits are really top notch. I replaced a lot of the hardware (I wanted P-90's) and the switch isn't very good in my opinion, but otherwise the guitar is great.

[@davisgalaxy8698]

Maybe a little late to ask, but i did a couple research online and found out that many people didn't have a nice experience with fretwire (like never receiving their order, or more technical problems). Did something happen?

[@Richardcecker]

I just ordered a Lefty Tele kit from Fretwire. It will be my first build. And I used your coupon code. Thanks for all you do!

[@davidtrevi2914]

I haven't checked. But you should do a video on how to verify the measurements, spacing, drill holes, fret spacing, etc., on a guitar before a build.

[@MrAquatoad]

I just wrapped up the Thomann Herley Benton Tele kit. With shipping just over $100. End result is awesome! Holes in the right spot, neck pocket and alignment perfect, frets level. I had to do three things: 1) file out some router marks in the neck pocket, 2) the socket jack was wired backwards 3) five nut slots too high, one too low so I replaced with a zero glide nut. Absolutely love it.

[@fododude]

I want to see a comparison between a Rickenbacker 325, a Strat, and a Glock 9. The best tone? Which kills the most?

[@curtislitchfield1378]

Glock 9s are totally prohib where I'm from... Did you know they're actually made of Porcelain and can get through airport metal detectors undetected? :o

[@colehalford1893]

I agree about "The Fretwire". I purchased a fretless 5 string Bass, and I enjoy it. I named him Jimmy the Jazz Bass. The wiring was a bit of a challenge.

[@paxtonworkman9365]

Holy crap I’ve been waiting for this video for two months, after fantasizing over Joe Walsh’s solo on Hotel California I’ve wanted one so bad but all the kits I could find were rose wood necks ( I want a red body and white scratch plate with maple neck ) so this helped a lot. Wish you uploaded more too

[@GunsandGuitars]

I wish I uploaded more too

[@jacktrent5648]

Your videos never disappoint!

[@GunsandGuitars]

Thanks!

[@aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa1569]

i built the tele from the fretwire and love it. i had no problems, the frets came perfectly leveled and crowned. the electronics are okay for what you get, i havent swapped any of it yet, but i play it often.

[@josephsmith8087]

Hey, could we eventually get some baritone/7 string guitar kits?

[@petraliamusic]

He should do a 7 string "shred guitar" with fanned frets, that would be sick.

[@Mr.Goldbar]

@@petraliamusic there are no fanfret kits out there, but there are Ibanez RG style 7 string kits

[@nekromachine]

@@Mr.Goldbar Yeah the market is missing that which is a vacuum that surely will be or should be filled. The best entry point I know of personally is to grab one of the cheap "Harley Benton" ones available at Thomann.de then get to work using that as a template if you will. Granted it is very different from the slew of options and essentially endless possibilities which a kit offers but currently it is the cheapest entry point and with far less work than would be expected you can have yourself a multi-scale, 7-string fanned fret electric for as little as £160, That are shockingly not at all bad, I'd doubt they could do them for fewer shekels tbh. I went for a T-type 7-string with an ash body and the best part a reverse headstock for that additional tension on the bottom few strings which makes a big difference when its a string thru hardtail to Me, It even has locking tuners and it only will set a person back £260. This is the model, This is a b-stock one that can be had for just under £200 quid (GBP) - Just put thomann dot de in and add this to it de/gb/harley_benton_te_7_fanfret_jbb_2018_b_stock.htm @MatthewMusic and Bar, Hope that might be useful to both of you or one of you gent's. I'd love a kit as then I'd be able to go proper nuts and build one that would be about as perfect for My wants and needs. The reason I went with the cheap is down to wanting to test the waters on a fanned fret, multi-scale before dropping real money on one, I think Harley Benton is Thomann's own brand, The stuff offers very good value for money. My main extended scale electrics are a Chapman 28" scale, Ibanez Iron Label 28" also, Another Ibanez but the 8-string M80M which has a 29.4" scale and a Schecter 30" scale. 27" is now essentially standard scale for Me but I still have plenty of great 25.5" options, The fanned fret was a great addition and now I know it works for Me I'll likely BOLO for one by Ibanez, Chapman or similar. All the best and yeah I hope to see proper extended range kits become normal as there is definitely demand \m/

[@Mr.Goldbar]

@@nekromachine I plan on buying that cheap Harley Benton fanfret 8 (R458 to be exact)

[@nekromachine]

@@Mr.Goldbar nice, I hope that it works out well for You FWIW Bar, Let us know if You remember once You've grabbed one and gotten used to it/pimped it to Your liking. I'm always up for hearing fellow players experiences so that I know I didn't just get lucky with a buy and recommending to others is fair, As I'd hate to be apart of helping someone waste there money. Again I hope it turns out awesome for You. Dean \m/

[@doc221978]

7:39 That flat spot at the output jack is supposed to be there on a tele. It's very prominent on some, not so much on others. Back in the 50s and 60s it was very common to see a big difference between guitar bodies. Now, they are mostly made on cnc, so it's to a closer standard. It used to be done by belt sander, so each depended on the luthier building it.

[@DIYGene]

Ok, I would have to go with the bologna Telecaster. I love the traditional Telecaster and I think in the long run you have more to work with. I am so happy you finally did a Telecaster! Can’t wait for you 2nd video on this. Rock on bologna master!!

[@firefist8511]

Mod one to be a 12 string/bass

[@alti_gottem]

Just get a standard telecaster kit from the fretwire. It's gonna be better

[@davidtrevi2914]

OH HELL YEEEAH! You are making a part 3 of Teles! They have become my favorite. I've been eyeballin' the Tele Thinline from the fretwire for a while now. It sounds awesome and looks beeeautiful! Now, I can go buy it w/o hesitation. My second choice is the Chelecaster. Love your channel!

[@GunsandGuitars]

Thanks David!

[@geckovision]

Correction: Tellies DO "have that notch cut out" at the jack assembly.

[@missioni6170]

I’ve built a couple TOMTOP teles. One for me another for a friend. Not the burled wood one but just the basic kit. Needed some work on the neck but sounds good and plays well.

[@austinreed6759]

I would love to see him do a double neck or a 12 string kit.

[@TheToneLounge]

Dude, I've been watching your vids for a few months and your productions have shot up in terms of production. Great job on the b-rolls and over style of the video. Cheers

[@ray.shoesmith]

Paulownia is pronounces 'bol-on-ya' You're welcome 😊

[@seanlheeger]

That was a good analysis of all 3 kits. I like the thinline even though I never spent time with one. Nicely done!

[@j.ivguitar8636]

Nice overview! I'm just about finished with a thinline tele kit that I've been building from Solo Music Gear. Overall, I'm pretty happy with it, and would recommend it. GFS seems to be very hit or miss. I built a thinline tele from their XGP body and neck, where I chambered the body, planed it down, and put on a spalted maple top a couple years ago. Like you, they sent me the wrong neck at first, and I honestly have to say that the body and neck in the Solo kit were much better made than the GFS ones. Not what you'd expect, considering that the Solo kit was actually a B-stock kit, and the XGP parts are supposed to be GFS's top-of-the-line. I'd like to try out a kit from the Fretwire at some point.

[@TexanUSMC8089]

I bought one from Solo and so far it looks good. The wood body is really soaking up the primer, so I've been doing a lot of sanding. No complaints though. The neck is really nice.

[@darrylp.2415]

The Fretwire Thin line is the best, hands down.

[@neilwarmington7246]

Just to add to your experience.. I got o nor of the burl walnut tele kits today and it was absolutely fine.. the body was great (a bit of sealer or filler will solve the odd little blemish, ) the neck and frets were so good no burrs no levelling.. Pick guard BWB three ply.. didn’t expect that.. arrived well packed too. The neck pocket and neck fitted perfectly with a ruler checking the action.. The only real issue was the headstock holes weren’t circular more oval.. they aren’t great but with a reducer bushing to accommodate better tuners they actually work out fine.. I know it’s pot luck what you get sent.. but thought I’d say mine was absolutely great, and with these kits you know that a certain amount of work is involved.. wiring diagram on the pre wired tele listings on Amazon.. not affiliated with them , just bought a kit but mine was pretty impressive (knowing you will need to do a bit of work to sort the odd issue) not contradicting you as you got what you got but I guess it shows it’s a bit hit or miss

[@timjennings8152]

lets get the comments going for a 6 string bass here is a template DAN!!!!! Why have you not done a 6 string bass kit?

[@gooble69]

No-one likes 6 string basses. No-one.

[@timjennings8152]

@@gooble69 you take that back.

[@11ciwi]

False. Thundercat

[@GunsandGuitars]

I’m going to do a 11 string bass. Goes from low B all the way up to high E of a guitar. Will that be enough strings?

[@timjennings8152]

@@GunsandGuitars i will look forward to it also another option would be a bass/electric twin neck combo and as to whether it is actually better than separate bass/guitars

[@taylorh9291]

I just finished a Fretwire Tele kit and had the same issue with the selector switch. I ended up burning through one of the sites when realizing I had wired it incorrectly (due to poor directions) and ended up replacing it with a $15 fender switch from a local music store. Now it sounds and plays great!

[@TaylorHudson]

I feel like I must have gotten a wonky run of Tele from the Fretwire. It needed a ton of fret work, a sloppy neck pocket, and the pickup cavities weren't routed correctly. I never reached out to them, I just fixed it myself, but it's nice to know they could have helped. You should review a Solo kit sometime. They're a bit more expensive than the fretwire (about $200 per kit) but the quality is ridiculously good.

[@jestersanddreamers]

Just ordered my strat kit from fretwire with the promo code. Thanks for the tips and the discount!

[@ajthepoppunkkid8415]

Do the Dave Grohl Trini Lopez style guitar on The Fretwire

[@JendaHrbac]

It's called Semi hollow Diamond ... And to make it Dave Grohl style, you just need to paint the Trini blue.

[@rzeka]

I really appreciate how much effort you put into these videos

[@EXHUMEnCONSUME]

7:38 - actually Fender Telecasters do have cuts like that near the input jacks.

[@Hallmachineworks]

Yep, my American Standard Tele has that cut.

[@NormanWoods]

That’s the way the old ones were made.

[@lococomrade3488]

Just wanted to let you know: the channel *Dylan Talks Tone* suggested you as a reference guide for the DIY build kits. So, thanks man!!

[@Guitar101Ramstein]

I bought the harley benton Tele kit from Thomann, not bad. String nut arrived broken, they replaced it with a fender bone nut upgrade and now got it all together and one tuning peg is slipping, still needs some final adjustements but not bad at all for the price (79 euro with shipping)

[@williamwoodward2632]

A Crimson Guitars diy kit would be awesome to see! Do one?

[@BarnacleButtock]

Hahaha nobody is that rich

[@justinbouchard]

Super expensive

[@evanposteraro5094]

Yes!

[@tussk.]

its cheaper just to buy a guitar. their prices are ridiculous.

[@portlandshomlessproblem1728]

Check out USA custom guitars necks and body’s you think crimson guitars is expensive USA custom is about twice the cost of crimson but also twice the quality

[@jonkerr2050]

Holy crap. I just found the perfect KZbin channel. Guns and Guitars. Two of my three favorite things. Just start doing motorcycle videos too. 🤘

[@Andrea-ms3jr]

What about the classic tele from the fretwire?

[@steverolfeca]

Exactly!

[@zetaminor77]

thefretwire.com/collections/diy-guitar-kits/products/diy-electric-guitar-kit-tele-style-build-your-own-guitar only $125, or $115 with the coupon code

[@HockeyPop29]

The flat spot at the output jack is true to the original telecaster, as it is even seen in the original blueprint. I'm actually cool with having it. It makes a cleaner fit when using the wider convex jack cup.

[@denis_kleshchev]

Who uses red for ground? When I worked on a power plant I had to deal with a unit that was wired with all PE wires, I.e. yellow and green ones. Imagine about 100 inner connections with the same color and without any marking on. That was a nightmare. I suspect it was the same person

[@curtislitchfield1378]

I realize this video is older. I actually built an earlier version of the GFS tele kit. It was horrible. I had the same problems that you did with the pickguard and just ended up throwing it away and running the guitar without it (which I think looks better). The bridge had zero holes drilled, but I suspect the bridge pup was not quite straight as MY bridge went on a bit crooked. Also the tuners feel like they're lubricated with gravel, and the bolognawood had absolutely zero figuring in it. The weight was the only positive for me. Also 2 of the fretboard inlays fell out. I had to glue them back in and they're not flush with the fretboard. The big upgrade for them was to buy a set of "li'l puncher" pickups from GFS and they sound freakin great for a 50 dollar set of pups. I've had it for a couple of years and never play it because it isn't set up and the bridge is crooked, causing a buzzing because the saddles wiggle too much. I need to disassemble it, plug the bridge screw holes, and start over. I'm going to plane the top down about 1/4 inch and replace it with a bookmatched piece of Ash I'm going to make from a short board I got at the local plywood store. Then I'll sandblast the top and do a "sandblast" bfg style finish on it. Gotta fix the neck, the dressing was bad. Replace the tuners, string trees, pots and 3-way switch... and I'll have a pretty cool guitar I'll mostly likely give away to a friend who needs it. In the end, the most valuable thing I got out of buying that kit, was the knowledge I gained in fixing it (or will be, since I haven to tear it down and do it all again.)

[@ritualdeathmetal]

Can you please find and build a Flying V guitar?

[@GunsandGuitars]

Heck yeah you bet

[@orsivan5731]

YESSSSS Flying V!!!!

[@sunriseshell]

"...They seem to have an issue sending the right item" Then goes on to admit that he ordered the wrong item and received the item he actually ordered. "...the bridge is crooked and misaligned" Admits the holes weren't pre-drilled and he drilled those holes. That switch on the Fretwire kit is actually a better quality switch. It is more robust and after use wears in and becomes easier to use.

[@Furtheronmusic]

Probably the fretwire one but I'd like single coils

[@blacksnow150]

yep the fretwire cut for single coils and a nicer top veneer would be cool , just add your own choice of pickup / switchgear etc and you would have a decent guitar :)

[@TheTrashologist]

I know this was a year ago but you could drill the string holes larger from the top. That way it would still look right from the back and the strings could line up properly with the bridge pick up ect.

[@IPushHard]

What the actual hell is baloney wood? ...also, I was sniffing out kits for awhile. Intending to save some cash, and and up with a completely custom guitar. But I came across Harley Benton guitars, which are generally well built and the pricing is literally down in the same price range as kits. So... I would rather grab one of those and do mods to it. At least until some point in the future when I just feel like building a guitar. Thanks : )

[@tomjohnson5597]

IPushHard Just got a H-B TE-90 QM, love it! What I also noticed was the higher quality kit cost as much or more than an assembled guitar; so $500+ just for parts is a no-go for me, I'm not good enough to justify that for a guitar.

[@IPushHard]

@@tomjohnson5597 I agree. Actually, here's the way I look at it... How many people out of 1000 people would pay 5.00 each to hear you play? ...If every one of those 1000 people would pay 5 bucks each? Then youre good enough to buy a $5000.00 guitar. If half of that 1000 people would pay 5 bucks each, then youre good enough to buy a $2500.00 guitar. If only 100 of that 1000 people would pay the 5 bucks, then youre good enough to buy a $500.00 guitar. I'm sure you see the pattern... Up to $5000.00 it works pretty well. That's how I set my guitar budget. : )

[@tomjohnson5597]

IPushHard I could probably get somebody to pay $20 for me to stop playing!

[@IPushHard]

I may be able to get the 100 out of 1000 to pay 5 bucks, but the other 900 would want me to pay them 5 bucks. lol

[@daw162]

The low cost HB guitars appear to have the same stuff as these kits. They're only about $10 more, but you do risk one not being put together correctly. For any of these to play really well, you're on the hook to learn to do a fret level and cut the nut slots where they're supposed to be. You might also get stuck doing some pocket refitting or shimming.

[@ThatBassistK]

Great video, Dan, I have to say I've been hoping for it. I bought the Tele XII kit from Bargain Musician and it's nearly finished now. I had the same issue of the string-through holes not lining up properly that your TomTop had but the bridge PU route was also wrong, I had to chisel it to more of a HB shape for the bridge and PU to line up correctly. Otherwise it was very well made; I would have bought it just for the 12 string Tele bridge as I've never been able to find one elsewhere.

[@ArionRaine]

Actually, you would be incorrect about the jack plate flat. Some real tele's DO have the flat there!!! Just look up some pics.. I would go as far to say that MOST Tele's have the flat. They vary in the size of the flat, and some are subtle and not very apparent, but they are there. Also, the "standard" bridge you refer to on the first kit, is an "ashtray" bridge. The "standard" bridge is flat, and does not have the sides.

[@frederickwilliams2183]

my 2018 bullet tele Squier has a slight flat spot at output jack. hmm i just noticed....!!

[@niceguyfory0u]

Just bought a brand new Squier bullet tele for $119 and a brand new Squire bullet mustang for $129 from GC on sale! Ordered the DYI, tele thinline from FretWire because a Squire thinline costs $449.99 from GC!

[@GreatWhiteLionSnake]

Yeah, you wouldn't want to pay attention to what you order.

[@dreibel]

Dan, your comment on the strange body cut on the TomTop kit sounded familiar, so I pulled out my Squier Classic Vibe '61 Tele Custom and took a look at it - sure enough, the body has that same flatter cut near the output jack. I think Fender may have done such a design back in the early sixties to better allow alignment of the jack placement, I know not all Teles have that.

[@bradleestone5344]

After that I've decided NOT to build one , saved me time and money ! Thanks !

[@captaindeadpool1640]

That's what I was thinking you can get a squier bullet telecaster for 129$ built and been threw qc and just do the fret work if you want and upgrade the pups that will have to be done on the three diy kits anyway and the bullet is painted.

[@bradleestone5344]

@@captaindeadpool1640 yep I bought a squire hardtail strat w/excellent neck just changed bridge pu and tuners smoothed the frets , my go to thrash guitar now

[@jesikebiking]

Thanks to you Dan I got not 1 but 2 different Fretwire Telecaster bass and I love them

[@lucasledo9507]

So... Strat comparison video next, right dan ?

[@GunsandGuitars]

😂😂😂I’ve done a couple strat videos already. It’ll be a while before another one.

[@lucasledo9507]

@@GunsandGuitars well, im off to hibernate til then, love the videos dan ! That HH super strat is a beauty 😍

[@grendel20]

Ah, I think the fret wire website shut down. Does anyone have the instructions backed up?

[@timhallas4275]

Most people don't know this, but part of the original "tele" sound, came from the slightly off intonation caused by that 3 saddle bridge design. That is why a tele with 6 saddle bridge and perfect intonation doesn't have that "tele mojo". Now you know.

[@freecitizen2760]

Tim Hallas : You can get plenty of “Mojo” without being out of tune. Buy a Callaham (or Glendale, or other versions) COMPENSATED Tele bridge with brass, steel, or titanium saddles.

[@Falasi4]

I was actually looking at the semi-hollow from fretwire earlier this week. Looks like a winner!

[@crazyuncleduke8012]

The best kit is the one that takes a minimal amount of work to play correctly. My choice is C

[@belugaman6772]

Crazy Uncle Duke it’s still fun to learn how to do all the extra work

[@thebadassbicycle]

Just got my thinline kit from the fretwire and I can’t wait to start building it!

[@wjombat]

The nut piece is generally just called a nut. It would be funny to reshoot the video where you at "piece" at the end of each part. Neck piece, bridge piece, pickup piece, pick guard piece

[@fododude]

heh heh heh

[@gordontubbs]

GuitarFetish recently moved its plant from Connecticut down to Florida, likely because it was having issues with its shipping and handling. I recently ordered a bunch of parts (enough for a complete tele build) from them, and they totally left out the pickguard! (Of all things!) Their customer service was on point, and they sent it first-class; but it's just stuff like that which makes you wonder what was going on. As far as the actual parts themselves, I too had issues with the neck fitting 100% correctly with the body out-of-the-box. I suppose that is par for the course for DIY builds, so not much to worry about. Overall, very happy. I would just advise anyone interested in DIY that not only is "some assembly is required" but "some fine-tuning is required" too. Parts came out to be $350. I also dropped about $250 to have a luthier rout the body for a humbucker size slot in the neck, get aligned (yep, mine had alignment issues too), basic set up, and wired to my specs (two volume/no tone). Plays and sounds as good as an American Fender. Check it out on my Instagram -- instagram.com/p/BpAbPgUl27M/

[@MGC-1977]

Put a Bigsby on it!

[@robertakonts245]

Matthew Casella yes, that would be awesome!!!!!!!!

[@DragonnHendrix]

Noooooo!!

[@ctrent9742]

Hey! That coupon code really works! I just ordered a tele kit from Fretwire. Thank you for the videos and the coupon!

[@justarandomguy3071]

Tele is Gods guitar. Amen.

[@amieguinn4952]

Les paul

[@STAY-GOLD-VINYL]

@@amieguinn4952 for sure a Les Paul

[@RoboRocker69]

God plays a Chibson.

[@jeffweller4878]

Ford Chevy Coke Pepsi who cares rock the one that makes you feel like sharing music with the world

[@kencohagen4967]

On the first kit, Drill out the string thru holes and glue dowel rod into the holes. Then align the bridge where you want it and drill he string thru holes.

[@larryduke5846]

Little late to the party but I would choose "C". A second on the Crimson Guitars build! Need to go through your archives to see your valued opinion on guitar finishes. Keep up the great vids, learning a ton.

[@michaelinglis8516]

Lol love your direct fit washer/bushing. Good thing you told us we wouldn't have noticed otherwise.

[@dubthestreamer5518]

the third guitar is still on the website, but they upped the price from 160 to 180 :/

[@t_sosh]

FYI, ashtray bridges do expose a little bit of the bridge pickup route in general. I've got actual Fenders that have a little gap there. However... You didn't get ferrules for the string-through holes?

[@gerrystidham9792]

For what it's worth, I'm in the middle of a strat build from "Pyle" and I couldn't be happier with their kit thus far.....all holes are pre-drilled, the hardware is a little on the cheesy side but there was very little finish sanding to do so I'm to the color stage and final assembly now....wish me luck and great channel my friend....

[@charlesmiller3916]

Stew mac sells kits too

[@TriTone_Ent.]

I'm currently building the fret wire 7 string kit. Love that company!

[@rondelio8562]

I am a HUGE fan of Fretwire and like you, I can't say enough good about them, except maybe when they're out of stock on something. When I usually build a kit I never keep to the entire kit, but Fretwire is my go-to for Fender style builds.

[@danielmiguelbaltesamado3940]

That "little notch cut off" is what a vintage telecaster body looks like.

[@Mr.Goldbar]

Is there a way I can buy the bridge from the GFS kit? I have an abandoned Tele project that desperately needs a bridge with individual saddles because of intonation problems, but was made for a traditional bridge, and I prefer the shape of traditional bridges for fingerpicking, so I want to install the bridge from the GFS kit on that abandoned Tele. Is that possible?

[@michaelkopp2520]

I just bought a Tele Deluxe kit from Fretwire (Thanks for the code Dan!). It will be my first build, and it looked good out of the box as well. Here is hoping that I can do it justice.

[@TomTobin67]

Great build, Dan.

[@74dartman13]

I was thinking...on the damaged Tom Top kit, would it be possible to remove a small piece of the burl veneer that sits under the pick gaurd, and fit in in where the damaged spot is? Just a thought and don't know if it's possible. Would be a better kit if not damaged. They need better packaging!👍😎🎸🎶

[@deek6942]

Thanks for a good write-up and review here. I'm now considering a Fretwire kit for the fun of it. BUT.... how about reviewing some other kits... namely Harley Benton on the low end, and Kiesel (formerly Carvin) on the high end. How about a review of the HB kits?? If you buy a couple of them, the shipping isn't even too bad. I can attest to the quality of the Carvin/Kiesel kits..... I built a Carvin "Bolt" Strat style kit about 10 years ago and that guitar is pure magic. Ebony fretboard with jumbo frets and a graphite nut that were just PERFECT. After assembly, all I needed was a VERY minor setup for intonation and action and the guitar plays like a multi-thousand dollar custom shop guitar. Neck pocket fit was flawless, frets were better than any guitar at any price I've ever played - truss rod didn't even need adjustment. I totally effed up the finish on the first body I recieved, and bought a second body to complete that first kit. Ten years later, I recently pulled that body out of the basement and refinished it, added a pretty decent Ebay neck, wired pickguard from Stratosphere, and hardware from GFS and I've now got another nice strat build. Beware potential buyers - the Keisel kit's default neck profile is definitely more Ibanez than Fender... thin neck with a flat 14" radius board. I wasn't a fan of the Carvin pickups, but they were wired correctly and sounded quite good, with smooth high quality pots, but they just didn't suit my tastes.... I went in another direction for a strat style axe and switched it over to a dual P-90 setup last year and it's now my favorite guitar.

[@maynardmadsen8712]

Have you tried any of the new stew Mac kits?

[@sryanrussell]

@8:00. perhaps their attempt to avoid trademark issues? @15:20 perhaps to allow for the option to use as a slide guitar, or was it not high enough for that?

[@vivelaresistance3239]

I’ve read about paulownia wood for decades in Classical Chinese literature. Whole poems written around the stuff but I never troubled to look into it. I did not expect to come across it in the context of electric guitars and my current search for an easy diy tele. When worlds collide. (BTW, paulownia is written about in very melancholy, dark tones. IDKY)

[@adventuresvancouversailing2415]

The thin-line with HH is a very versatile configuration. I always wanted to size a nut the tools are available from my guitar tools bag from STEWMAC.. Thx for the video.

[@bernhardnizynski4403]

Build up the pickup hole under the bridge with some plastic wood - I had to do this on a 1966 Fender Tele!

[@flyawayhorses]

Solo Guitars in Toronto makes very nice stuff and has great customer service. Great deal, especially considering how much the American dollar is worth compared to the Canadian dollar.

[@ryanbwags]

Love to see this stuff. I got a Mod bass Kit from the Fretwire and I am absolutely happy with it! I would buy another kit from them without a problem.

[@boseefusmacmurphy1156]

thanks for this video. I'm very appreciative of the neck profile descriptions. i like big necks. bought a Dean that sounded great, never played because i never liked the neck. it's a deal maker/breaker. the fretwire kit with coupon code sounds like the winner.

[@marshallc13]

Dan, I am currently building the Muslady kit and have got to the wiring part and I'm confused. Any chance you can help me out and tell me how you wired it? Would appreciate it mate, cheers 😀

[@willlloyd8359]

I saw a resonator guitar kit from fretwire, I’ve never seen any kit like that you should totally give that a try!!

[@elonmush4793]

I have a bit of a craving for Thinline Teles at the moment, so I'd pick number 3. I'm excited how it sounds.

[@steverolfeca]

Looking forward to hear how they sound plugged in. The U-shaped neck on the TOMTOP is a plus, but Fretwire for me. Who wants a misaligned, junk guitar as a project? Also, Fretwire offers regular solid-body T-styles with single coil pickups, at a substantial savings.

[@wavxray]

just purchased a kit using the code. you rock in more ways than one. keep it going and remember rock it or shoot it!!!!!

[@MetalY2KMusic]

WOW. nut on #3 was absurdly high. It's actually like none of these are ideal for their price point.. I'm amazed. I'm glad I haven't bought a kit and just build my guitars out of spare parts from already existing guitars or modify them. I now know I need to go for a really high price range if I want something to make sense or not be a hassle where it really counts, like filing the nut slots perfectly. This was a really informative video

[@MetalY2KMusic]

But I'm sure we can all agree other than some minor details on 3, it was the best. But not everyone wants a thinline. I think 1 and 2 were really even and both had pros and cons that were opposite of eachother more or less.

[@zanewilkins9548]

I'm building one this semester and it is a telly with a Bourbon Barrel top and a maple body